Lesson 1: Joseph the Cupbearer and Baker Objectives: Students will 1) Study Chapter 40 of Genesis and learn about Joseph and his behavior in prison 2) Learn that we too can be like Joseph when bad things happen and study how to deal with injustice the godly way 3) Learn about why we should keep our word and not be like the cupbearer Supplies: Coordinator will ensure these supplies are already in your room. Teacher Materials (provided in classroom) Bible(s) Markers/Pencil Crayons Pens/Pencils Attendance Chart (See Template) Stickers for Attendance Blank piece of paper one per child to draw on Quiz game answers print two sets one for each team on cardstock paper cut out before class Optional: Count the Hearts Activity Sheet one per child Songs of Joseph Print one sheet for the class to see or one per student to use throughout this quarter Color Page one per student Storybook of this chapter in Genesis with pictures to show kids (if available) and/or Flannel Display Board and characters to show the story of this chapter. (if available) Snack: Heart Shaped Cookies or Candies enough per child Napkins for snack one per child Juice or water and cup one per child Lesson: 1) Introduction to Lesson 2 5 minutes As students enter, welcome them and help find a chair to sit at. Thank them for coming. Take attendance (using attendance chart supplied). Write student s names on the chart and then let each child put a sticker beside their name for this week. Once children are seated say: This week we are going to study and finish the book of Genesis. In Genesis we have studied about Adam, Seth, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and now for this quarter we are going to focus on Jacob s son Joseph. What did we study last week about Joseph? We learned that he was tempted by Potiphar s wife but Joseph did the right thing and fled from her! But then because she was mad at him she lied to her husband and had Joseph thrown in prison! This week we will learn about the importance of friendship and how Joseph kept putting God first and being a good and obedient person even when he faced sadness and disappointment.
2) The Cupbearer and the Baker 10 minutes *Option: Show visual aids while reading from the Bible. Let s turn to Genesis 39 and read from last week how Joseph s situation with Potiphar s wife ended. Read Genesis 39:21 40:4 It says God was with him and through this Joseph was granted favor. Didn t this happen when Joseph was sold to Potiphar? Yes, see 39:2 4. So how did Joseph have favor with God? Even though Joseph had bad things happen to him, God was with him and granted him favor God took care of Joseph! Can bad things happen in our lives? Yes Does that mean God does not love us? No What does it mean? That God will help us through and work with us as we deal with the tough issues we will face. Just like Joseph. God was so powerful in Joseph s life (and can be in ours if we let Him) that Joseph was advanced to the top of the prison hierarchy with the jailer s full trust and support. Read Genesis Chapter 40:1 23 encourage students to listen carefully and use visual aids if you have them. The King s personal cupbearer, this would be his personal taster to make sure he was not poisoned, and his baker, who would fix the king s favorite goodies did something to really bug the king, so he sent them to prison. Now verse 3 says: So he put them in confinement in the house of the captain of the bodyguard, in the jail, the place where Joseph was imprisoned. And verse 4 continues, "And the captain of the bodyguard [Isn t that Potiphar?] put Joseph in charge of them, and he took care of them; and they were in confinement for some time." Discussion Questions: What does it show about Joseph in that he asked what was wrong with the cupbearer and baker? It showed that he noticed other s and cared for them. What can we learn from Joseph about ourselves today from this? We too can and should notice others and ask them about how they are doing when the look sad or even happy. We can care for others like Joseph did. Who did Joseph say could interpret dreams? God. Joseph did not take the credit for interpreting the dreams he gave the glory to God. What does that mean for us today? We should remember to give God the glory when we use one of our talents to help others. It is because of God that you have your talent to serve or be good at something! Did the chief cupbearer remember to mention Joseph? No What can we learn from this for us today? When someone does something nice for us, we need to remember it and help them when we can! It means a lot to the other person. Let s remember to be kind to our friends and help them when we can! 3) Drawing the Dreams of the Baker and Cupbearer 15 minutes *Option: Can use the color page instead for those who do not want to draw or use the color page to show an idea of what they might want to draw.
Hand out one sheet of paper with crayons to each child. Have students draw a simple picture of one of the two dreams. Discuss how the three branches (or baskets) stood for 3 days. Explain how symbols are images that stand for something else and explain that only through God s help was Joseph able to interpret the dreams for the cupbearer and baker. Use Genesis 40 to look through again to give the children ideas on what to draw. If time and when done have each child show their page to the others and explain what picture they choose and why. 4) Lessons to learn from Joseph 10 15 minutes Look at some valuable lessons we can learn from Joseph about: DEALING WITH INJUSTICE 1. Don t let injustice affect your Godliness! Joseph kept his integrity throughout his temptations and trials and so can we. 2. Don t let injustice cause you to be self centered! Joseph noticed the broken spirit of his fellow prisoners even though he had his own troubles and was very busy. He wanted to help them. If we allow compassion to become a part of our lives, if we care what is wrong in other s lives we become more like Jesus... Then God can work in the areas of our needs as well. Let s turn to Philippians in the New Testament and read Philippians 2:3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 3. Don t let injustice cause you to lose your faith! Remember Joseph and learn that even when things aren t fair we still need to keep our focus on God. Joseph did not lose his faith even in the middle of all these injustices. He trusted in God and gave God the glory in his life and we should too! 4. Don t let injustice cause you to become bitter! Joseph presented his entire history of injustice without once mentioning a name. Ephesians 4:31 5:2 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Follow God s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. 5) Quiz Game on The Cupbearer and Baker 15 minutes Before class print the Quiz Game Answers (written on the birds) in the template provided and cut out the shapes. Print two sets for the class one for each team. At class, tell the students we are going to play a game to answer questions about the story we read today about the Cupbearer and Baker. Divide the class into two teams and hand out one set of answers to each team. Tell them that: I will ask a question. Each team has to find the answer and put it in front of me face down so the other team can t see what the answer is. (The questions are written below with the answers). I will then check both team s answers, if one team is correct, their bird stays with me and the team gets a point. If the answer is
wrong, the team takes back their bird and waits for the next question. If both teams get it right, both birds stay in separate piles for each team with me. The team with the most birds with the teacher wins! *You may have to get older children to read the answers to younger children to help them know the answers to choose from quietly. To help, read each possible answer on the birds aloud before starting. Questions and Answers: True or False: The butler and baker understood their dreams? F True or False: Both the butler and the baker were saved from punishment? F True or False: The butler forgot about Joseph? T True or False: Joseph refused to interpret the dreams without payment? F True or False: Both dreams meant the same thing? F How do you think the cupbearer felt when Joseph interpreted his dream? Hopeful How do you think the baker felt when Joseph interpreted his dream? Worried How do you think Joseph felt as he waited longer and longer to hear from the cupbearer? Discouraged Should we seek reward for helping others? No God will reward us Should we alter the truth to make others feel better? No the truth is the truth Sometimes God s time seems to take forever. What attitude should we have while waiting? A patient and hopeful one What did the baker dream about? Bread and birds What did the cupbearer dream about? Grapes and vines How did Joseph know what the dream meant? God revealed it to him Fill in the blank: Do not interpretations belong to?" God What animals appear in this lesson: birds How many branches were on the vine in the cupbearer s dream? Three How many baskets were on the baker s head in his dream? Three 6) Optional Count the Hearts and Remember to Be Kind Sheets 5 10 minutes Hand out one sheet to each child with a pencil. Have them count how many hearts there are on the page and fill in the number at the bottom. Remind the children that we need to remember to be kind like Joseph was even when we are not in the mood or when bad things are happening! 7) Optional Snack: Heart Shaped Cookies or Candies 5 minutes Hand out heart shaped snacks to each child. Also give each child a glass of water or juice. Explain that, When Joseph helped the Cupbearer and the Baker they were thankful but did not help him back. We need to remember to be good friends to everyone and to God! These snacks remind us that we need to be kind and caring like Joseph, even if our friends don t always help us back! Provide a napkin for children to clean their hands. Discuss questions while snacking! 8) Optional Songs 5 minutes Have children sing songs with you. Some examples: Songs of Joseph (See Printed Song Sheet). Print a few copies for students and use throughout the coming lessons.
9) Close in prayer *If desired, ask the children if they have any prayer requests and write them down to help you remember. Then ask all children to bow their heads and fold their hands to pray. Pray that we too will be kind and caring like Joseph and not become bitter when bad things happen to us. Pray that we will be better friends than the cupbearer was to Joseph and remember to keep our promises. Help us to deal with injustices and not let them ruin our faith in You Lord. We ask all this in Jesus name, Amen. Thank you for serving Christ in this way!